Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To be unable to remember the name of a person you are speaking to, even though you've had a long-standing, and perhaps even an intimate relationship. n. An inability to remember a person's name.
Verboticisms
Click on each verboticism to read the sentences created by the Verbotomy writers, and to see your voting options...
You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.
Onomamnesia
Created by: XMbIPb
Pronunciation: /o-no-ma-mne-zhi-a/
Sentence: Woke up one morning and said: “Good morning, Sue” to the woman still sleeping next to me. Given the fact that my wife’s name is not Sue, it didn’t sit well with her. Claiming ONOMAMNESIA didn’t work. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get out of that one? I mean other than to find a good divorce attorney?
Etymology: ONOMA (fr. Greek) – name; AMNESIA (fr. Greek) – forgetfulness
Namenesia
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: nāmnēzhə
Sentence: Tom’s greatest fear before the class reunion was that he wouldn\'t be able to remember names of his former best friends. To avoid this he got out his yearbook and studied for weeks prior to the event. He was proud of himself, popping out names like he was still in school. Namenesia didn’t set in until he tried to introduce his wife.
Etymology: name (a word or set of words by which a person, animal, place, or thing is known, addressed, or referred to) + amnesia (a partial or total loss of memory)
Whodonym
Created by: Tigger
Pronunciation: /hoo-do-nim/
Sentence: Jason always called his fiancee by pet names, such as "Sweetheart" or "Honey," and although her name was actually 'Mary Louise' all her friends just called her "Lou". So when he introduced her to his cousin before the wedding, he got a case of 'brain lock' and all he could think of were whodonyms. Then, at the chapel, when the priest asked, "Do you take Mary Louise to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Jason's nervous first response was to ask, "Who?". It was beginning to look like the honeymoon wasn't going to be as pleasant and relaxing as he'd hoped.
Etymology: Who - what person? (from Old English, hwā "who") + pseudonym - a fictitious or pen name (from Greek, pseudonymos "having a false name")
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COMMENTS:
I'll be using "brain lock" ... great pairing! A Whodlum hopes everyone, especially the cops, have brain lock and whodonyms? Innovative! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 19:11:00
Very creative: a real word! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 20:01:00
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Nilrecall
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: nil re kawl
Sentence: Joey had nilrecall when it came to people's names. When he eventually married and had twins, the baby boys were known as Thing 1 & Thing 2 to him...
Etymology: Nil (nada, nothing) & Recall (remember)
Namenesia
Created by: 1101347158
Pronunciation: name
Sentence: I have namenesia at my cousin's party... It was kind of embarassing
Etymology: name + amnesia
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COMMENTS:
Schmidt's " A Medical Word Finder" gives 'Lethonomia' as inability to recognize names and ' Anomia' as loss of ability to recognize names; I like your word better. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 19:45:00
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Goniker
Created by: purpleartichokes
Pronunciation: gawn-ih-kur
Sentence: Alas, Bob would never have a second date with the stunning brunette because in a moment of goniker, he called her Fifi instead of Fiona.
Etymology: gone, moniker
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COMMENTS:
Goniker goner! Laughing uncontrollably after reading your sentence! It is so fun to say, just saying it makes me smile. Right fit! Nice bite to it. Supberb word! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 10:38:00
Bob - isn't he the one with palzheimers? - Jabberwocky, 2008-03-04: 13:05:00
Song for the day - Bob, bob, bob...bob, bob ra ann! - purpleartichokes, 2008-03-04: 13:53:00
Great comment purpleartichokes! Today's creates have filled my head full of fun things ... and it's great when they fill it with music! Even when I wish I had a stop/play button after it repeats itself for too long! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 16:57:00
Here's a tune for the day: "Uhm, forgettable, that's what you are. Uhm, forgettable, though near or far..." - Nat King Cole (not referring to you BTW, purpleartichokes!!) - Tigger, 2008-03-04: 18:45:00
I like it alot! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 19:40:00
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Forgetphil
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: for get fil
Sentence: When George brought his friend, Phil, home, he was unaware that Phil already "knew" his wife Julia in the Biblical way. But Phil had had so many previous girlfriends that he could not recall Julia. He was forgetphil, like someone who drank too much Milk of Amnesia...
Etymology: Forget (not able to remember) & play on forgetful (not retentive)
Pseudesia
Created by: kashman
Pronunciation: soo-day-sia
Sentence: Jack seldom feigned pseudesia while at his dates to avoid being sucked into small talk.
Etymology: pseudonym (feigned or erroneous name) + amnesia (loss of memory)
Dejawho
Created by: leegro
Pronunciation: /dey-zhah-hoo/
Sentence: As she walked down the aisle of the airplane, Sarah had a sinking feeling of dejawho. Hadn't she once drunkely groped the sweaty man in the aisle seat across from her?
Etymology: From "deja vu," which is French for "I'm not forgetful, I'm just self-absorbed," and "who," which should feel like a familiar word to most of you.
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COMMENTS:
What a twist ... a woman groping a man! But the twists in your etymology are even better! Insightfully Clever! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 17:14:00
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Boggledencher
Created by: janefitzsimmons
Pronunciation: baaaaa-gul-den-cher
Sentence: Damn, she forgot Marty's name. What a boggledencher. (Sorry, two sentences)
Etymology: Well if you forget someone's name, your mind is BOGGLED. Also, when people age they tend to forget vital information, such as their grandchildren's names. Old people uses dentures. (OK dentures is not spelled dencher. I KNOW. but i liked the way it looked better.) Hence, boggledencher was born.
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by silveryaspen. Thank you silveryaspen. ~ James
silveryaspen - 2008-03-04: 17:07:00
Your great word associations and creations made my day, everyone. It is a pleasure to have these mind associations with all of you every day! Isn't this website like sunshine for the mind? !!! Everyone contributes some rays! Everyone goes away warmed by some rays!
silveryaspen - 2008-03-04: 17:08:00
Good job with the defninition and cartoon. Thank you, James.
Thank you Silveryaspen for the inspiring words! ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by silveryaspen. Thank you silveryaspen. ~ James